Auckland Regains Argentina Link After Five Years, Targets Transit Growth

auckland airport

Auckland Airport.

Credit: David Wall/Alamy Stock Photo

China Eastern Airlines plans to launch a new Shanghai–Auckland–Buenos Aires route from December 2025, reestablishing a nonstop air link between New Zealand and Argentina that has been absent since Air New Zealand suspended service in 2020.

The new route will initially operate twice a week from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) to Auckland Airport (AKL), continuing on to Buenos Aires Ezeiza International Airport (EZE). The airline already operates daily Shanghai–Auckland flights using Airbus A350-900s, as well as Hangzhou–Auckland and Hangzhou–Auckland via Sydney.

“This new connection to Auckland between the dynamic economies of Asia and South America is a great step forward and will support a more resilient and diverse aviation network that benefits travelers, trade and tourism,” New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “This new route is estimated to bring an additional NZ$48 million ($28.7 million) in annual visitor spend to New Zealand.”

China Eastern has applied for fifth-freedom traffic rights between Auckland and Buenos Aires, which would allow it to sell tickets and carry passengers solely between New Zealand and Argentina, independent of the Shanghai origin. If approved, the service would not only cater to travelers connecting between China and South America, but also directly serve the underserved New Zealand–Argentina market.

According to Sabre Market Intelligence data, O&D traffic between New Zealand and Argentina reached 10,500 two-way passengers in 2024, significantly down from 30,800 in 2019, the last full year of Air New Zealand’s Auckland–Buenos Aires service. O&D traffic between China and Argentina totaled 57,800 passengers last year, despite a lack of nonstop or one-stop service.

AKL CEO Carrie Hurihanganui says the new route marks a major step in positioning Auckland as a southern hub. “This network connectivity—the Southern Link—is something we’ve been working towards for a number of years,” she explains.  “The bonus with this new connectivity is it also helps address a big gap in our direct capacity between New Zealand and South America, which is down 53% compared to the pre-pandemic period.”

Hurihanganui says the reduction in capacity has contributed to a NZ$76.7 million drop in visitor spend, a 32% decline in face-to-face business interactions and a 16% reduction in cargo volumes between New Zealand and South America.

“This new service will reintroduce a direct flight connection between New Zealand and Argentina, enhancing not only tourism, trade and international education, but providing another link home for the 40,000 South Americans who live in New Zealand,” she says.

Hurihanganui adds that AKL has upgraded its international transit infrastructure, including an 80% increase in processing space, to support future transit growth. About 700,000 passengers transit internationally through AKL each year.

"Our geographic location provides an ideal stepping stone between Australia, Asia, South Pacific and both North and South America,” she says. “We've seen how airports such as Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore have over time become important hubs at the intersection of travel and trade flows. There is an opportunity here for New Zealand to grow beyond being the final stop on a long-haul flight to be a vital aviation hub connecting people and goods."

According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, AKL has one nonstop link to South America at present, with LATAM Airlines Group offering a 5X-weekly service from Chile’s capital Santiago using Boeing 787-9 aircraft.

The China Eastern route announcement also coincides with China’s recent decision to grant visa-free entry to Argentine citizens for up to 30 days, a move likely to stimulate additional demand between Argentina and China.

David Casey

David Casey is Editor in Chief of Routes, the global route development community's trusted source for news and information.